It's sharp. Dang that thing is sharp. It's actually too sharp. Wide open it has a gorgeous glow and fabulous bokeh but glares a tad and lack sharpness. Stopped down to F2 it has gorgeous contrast, loses the magical flare/glow and comes back in earthly bokeh territory. It's also so bleedingly sharp it has me rethinking my whole PP workflow.

It needs a intermediary stop between 1.4 and 2 !! Except there is none, and trying to leave the aperture ring between those doesn' work. The stops are SO close on the ring that trying to set between them, you knock the ring back to one or the other the second you moved the focusing ring... Dang.

I also hates this lens because it's not lovely to look at. A lens this insanely sharp, and contrasty with great bokeh and fantastic colors MUST have a dreamy smooth metal focus ring and be gorgeous to look at ! Cr@p, it's not. The focus ring is nicely dampened allright, but it's rubber and the lens looks like 80's modern. Not as ugly as my FD 50/1.8, but getting there.

Ok, the REAL reason I hate this lens is because it rivals my beloved FL 55/1.2 which IS gorgeous and desirable and all metal. And that I paid 6 times the price I snatched the MC for.

I hate this lens because I love it to death and I'd want it to be handsome and expensive and exotic. It's none of that. The price I paid for it is shameful (not my fault either, the seller probably had NO clue it could be used on a modern camera and sold it to me dirt cheap and even threw in a Like New MD 50/1.7 for free for good measure). I hate the Minolta>NEX adapter for being as long as it is. The whole thing sticks as a sore thumb on my siny new NEX 6.
But holly cow, what a great piece of glass. Rush out and buy one if you can. This way you can "hate" it as much as I do

It is an amazing lens. It feel great in hand, has a lovely damped feel and it's IQ is as good or better than anything I have...and I agree wholeheartedly that it's ugly. You'd also need to pry it out of my cold dead hands to get it away from me.

I received a few weeks ago, this great lens and let me tell you it's great, I've had a lot of shots with it, I had an opportunity of shooting some shots in Chinatown. It's sharp at all apertures, super smooth, solid mechanics and perfect combination of sharpness, contrast, color rendition and bokeh.

Focus is a dream: the waffle-pattern rubber has perfect grip, and the smooth and precise focus helicoids respond to focus fast. I've gotten for 30 bucks, with shipping, auque has small minimal wear and in the corner has a slight bump, still in perfect condition, I can not be picky for a lens that almost double my age.

Fredytto your old woman portrait is indeed, stunning.
My copy has flare/glow wide open, which confers it a sort of magical appeal, however at 1.4 sharpness is either lacking, or critical focus is so elusive I can't get it right. At F2 it become TOO sharp, I can't use any sharpening actions later on in PP, at least not if there's human hair involved... I really wish I could have it firmly stopped to 1.8, but as I explained before both stops are very very close on the ring, and it knocks back to either one with the slightest action of the focusing ring.

Fredytto your old woman portrait is indeed, stunning.
My copy has flare/glow wide open, which confers it a sort of magical appeal, however at 1.4 sharpness is either lacking, or critical focus is so elusive I can't get it right. At F2 it become TOO sharp, I can't use any sharpening actions later on in PP, at least not if there's human hair involved... I really wish I could have it firmly stopped to 1.8, but as I explained before both stops are very very close on the ring, and it knocks back to either one with the slightest action of the focusing ring.

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Ya the lower you get the harder to focus. I usually try and keep mine about 4.0, but it is nice to know I can dip below when needed.

I'm looking at a 58/1.4 auction ending today. Can anybody give feeback on this lens ???

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Why not the go for the whole enchilada and turn your gaze toward the MC 58/1.2? I've heard the 58/1.4 and 50/1.4 are very similar. I believe the 50 replaced the 58. Also, the older MC bodies have the lovely metal focus ring you like. My 50/3.5 macro is also wonderful optically and gorgeous. Did I mention it's also freakin' huge?

Kevin, having already one super fast prime, I'm reluctant ponying up for the 58/1.2 knowing it can't be THAT much better than the FL 55/1.2.
I decided to stick with the MC I have and skip the 58/1.4. I might try a 15$ 55/1.8 metal barrel for kicks.

Kevin, having already one super fast prime, I'm reluctant ponying up for the 58/1.2 knowing it can't be THAT much better than the FL 55/1.2.
I decided to stick with the MC I have and skip the 58/1.4. I might try a 15$ 55/1.8 metal barrel for kicks.

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MC 58/1.4 has metal barrel. MC 55/1.7 should be better than Auto 55/1.8. Have some sample in the Image Sample Archive subforum.

Kevin, having already one super fast prime, I'm reluctant ponying up for the 58/1.2 knowing it can't be THAT much better than the FL 55/1.2.
I decided to stick with the MC I have and skip the 58/1.4. I might try a 15$ 55/1.8 metal barrel for kicks.

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I would agree once you get into that 1.2 zone I suspect the lenses are all quite good. Then again I would have thought the same about 1.4 lenses are I am finding that my MC 50/1.4 is a good deal better (maybe "pleasing" is more accurate) than my other 1.4's. Still, the 58/1.2 is pretty pricey. I wouldn't do it. As to the 58 vs 50...unless you need the extra length I can't see it being worth it.

Does anyone here have experience with the MC 50/2? It's dirt cheap and I have heard it is very good.

The 58/1.2 might indeed be overall a tad better than my FL 55/1.2. However, clean units run around 400-600€, and there is not one manual lens on
earth I'll pay that much for <grin>
That's not to say this lens won't find it's way to me in the future, but if it does it will be via sheer luck, finding one in a garage sale, a trade, that kind of thing...
In the meanwhile I could get used to leaving the MC 50/1.4 on the 6 nearly full time...

I spent yesterday's heating up and all impatient to go home for the week-end and give the Rokkor some action.

Then I did get home, and nothing would work out quite right...

My model just wanted me to drag around on all four playing dog (the joy of having a 4 yr old...), and lost all interest in me after I begged for mercy.

Her father had more luck with her

I actually like the way my husband's out of focus face is rendered in this shot

And I used this one for the challenge

That wasn't a very rich photographic night, lol. But I say when you get one or two keepers, you can't complain too much. My kid has a cute friend coming over to play today, I'm in hope of good shots to come.